Hollywood rethinks use of A-list actors

Reuters ^ | November 13, 2009 | Alex Dobuzinskis

[EveningStar]

Hollywood studios are now thinking twice about splurging on A-list movie stars and costly productions in reaction to the poor economy, but also because of the surprising success of recent films with unknown actors.

[bcsco]

I’ve got you all beat. The last movie my wife and I saw in a theater was ‘Dancing With Wolves’ in 1990. We’ve rented a movie here-and-there, occasionally watched one on pay-per-view, but those could probably be counted on one hand.

OTOH, I’ve purchased some (mostly Westerns) that I really like and have been given others for presents. I watch them at times, but the hours I spend on movies is minimal. A

As for the drek that has come out of Hollywood in the past couple decades, I see no reason to bother with it.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Bad news for Nicholas Cage.

[Drew68]

I’ve always heard that people went to the movies as a substitute for more expensive entertainment, and to forget about poor economy.”

Now going to the movies is expensive entertainment. People are staying home and renting DVDs for $1 from Redbox to watch in the comfort of their home on their big screen HDTVs with surround sound systems.

Like the music industry, the whole business model of the film industry is going to have to change to accommodate this growing trend.

[dirtboy]

The recent Batman movies had very strong ensemble casts but none of them were really A listers like Cruise.

Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger and Liam Neelson are not A-listers? They are (or in the case of Ledger, were) some of the top actors going.

[C19fan]

I agree with you about their quality as actors but I do not think they are earning $20-$30 MM a picture plus gross like Cruise and Carrey earn.

[CrazyIvan]

You’re right, still not cheap. But less than a lot of other things. The last minor league ball game I went to cost $30 to get into. Personally, I’d consider $50 NOT to go to a Hanna Montana concert a bargain!

[votemout]

Highest paid:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/22/actors-hollywood-movies-biz-media-cx_lr_0722actors.html

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Heck, is there a more expensive night out than taking your family to the movies?

How about taking your family to the theater?

[PapaBear3625]

Hasn't Hollywood traditionally done better during bad times? I've always heard that people went to the movies as a substitute for more expensive entertainment, and to forget about poor economy.

That was before the disproportional inflation of ticket prices. It was also before DVD and big-screen TVs. I'm not going to spend 40 bucks for the family, when we can rent a DVD from the library for $1-$2.

[GI Joe Fan]

"Maybe flaming, haughty liberals are now box office losers?"

You just described the entire cast and management behind that new GI Joe movie.

Obamanista frontman Lorenzo Di Bonaventura completely removed the American theme from GI Joe in favor of a globalist cabal of "specialists."

It was complete nonsense, and had nothing to do with GI Joe as Americans know it.

[Skenderbej]

The only thing more expensive than a night at the movies is a night at a ball game (any sport).

[GI Joe Fan]

His roles in "Die Hard," "The Fifth Element," "Unbreakable," and "The Sixth Sense" were great.

He was really funny in "Blind Date" as well.

[MozarkDawg]

I enjoyed The Sure Thing, I thought there were some good, funny bits in it, but I have to admit, I think The Grifters is the last Cusack movie/performance I appreciated.

[Deb]

I saw Bruno Ganz for the first time in “Wings of Desire”. He played an angel in Berlin and became my favorite actor.

[MozarkDawg]

Yes. Shirley Temple (now Temple Black) eared $100,000 a year during FDR’s Great Depression.

Which is why I thought the most ridiculous excuse ever was Spike Lee's claim that hard money times was the reason his last movie (forgive me, I cannot recall the title, the plot, nothing whatever) was a bomb at the box office. Sure, when people had no money to eat, they managed to make Shirley a huge star!

[Borges]

But a ticket cost about a dime back then.

[MozarkDawg]

He was really funny in "Blind Date" as well.

Ooh, I haven't thought of that movie in years, good call!

[r9etb]

Look at the Star Trek revamp not one A list star but fans flocked to see it because it was faithful to the source material.

LOL! You must have seen a far different version than I did. Plot holes the size of Australia.... Assuming, that is, that you could stretch the word enough to say that the movie had a "plot" at all.

[Tenacious 1]

The last minor league ball game I went to cost $30 to get into.

Here in Indianapolis, our AAA Indians sell the lawn seats along the outfield wall at $7. You get to bring your own chair, blankets and coolers. My kids get to run around and roll down the grassy hill.

[MozarkDawg]

I understand, but back then, people had no real disposable cash to speak of, quite literally they were paying for a movie with money they need to purchase food with. The ultimate of luxury items, I just found it laughable that Lee would use hard times, having to choose what to do with your money as the reason his movie bombed, especially when it didn't seem to have a detrimental effect on other movies.